Font Resize"We'll need to make some cuts," said board Chairman Peter Cunningham. "We just don't know what those are yet."
Cunningham's comments came following a special afternoon meeting on Feb. 25, which was called after Haddad informed the board earlier in the week that the Finance Committee would request up to $150,000 in budget reductions at joint session on Saturday, Feb. 27.
A central purpose of the meeting was for the Selectmen to discuss options for meeting that request, and Haddad said the town's financial team provided him with $500,000 of potential reductions for the purposes of that discussion.
Some of those measures were discussed in open session, while others involving collectively bargained contracts were discussed behind closed doors during a half-hour executive session.
Haddad did not offer many specifics on how most recommendations would impact town personnel, but he did mention the possibly of some consolidation and that he wasn't comfortable with all of the options.
"We're at a point right now where we'll start cutting town services," he said.
Haddad also reported that the FinCom feels otherwise, saying they feel up to $150,000 can go without impacting services and are willing to bring that case to Town Meeting. He added they want the Selectboard to come up with the specific cuts.
Haddad has proposed a municipal budget of $11,269,140 for FY11, up $192,279 (1.74 percent) from the current fiscal year.
Several potential cost-saving measures
Other suggestions included stipend reductions for positions ranging from dog officer to selectman, reducing the town's $150,000 reserve fund and shrinking the account used to pay on-call firefighters.
Conversely, Haddad said it's unlikely that further cuts could be taken out of the library, saying it was level-funded in his initial proposal and that further cuts would impact operating hours.
Another key detail of Haddad's budget proposal was filling a patrolman position that's been vacant for two years. Counting likely reductions to department overtime and benefits, that move is expected to cost $30,000, and Cunningham said it's been a point of contention with FinCom, even if he was satisfied that the position is important.
Selectman Anna Eliot also expressed concern about making the patrol officer position a "sacrificial lamb", saying the board should instead take a stand on what they consider most unsustainable.
After hearing the options, Cunningham said the board should be able to meet the FinCom partway, but Selectman Fran Dillon responded that it's about more than the FinCom request, noting the schools are facing a $2.2 million shortfall and gloomy economic predictions for FY12 that were delivered by State Senator Steven Panagiotakos earlier in the week. Selectman Josh Degen picked-up on the latter theme as well.
"I think we all know FY12 is looking as bad as FY11, if not worse," he said. "So if we don't batten down the hatches in FY11, then we're just waiting for a storm and we won't be prepared."
However, Degen said after the executive session that the board should hold-off on making cuts until state aid numbers are released in early March.
Haddad also mentioned that three of the town's four union contracts would be up next year, saying that would give the town a huge opportunity to impact the FY12 budget.
The Saturday joint session will begin at 9 a.m.
